Poll

Today's Opinions

Some weeks back, not that many, a fleet of boats, all on trailers, came to town for a few days' stay. These boats were impressive, bass boats, inshore-offshore fishing boats, boats with long cranes on them, retractable cranes, others with towers, and a couple of just plain pleasure boats. All were clean and pretty and new, at least in appearance, and all had the word Berkeley in obvious display.

A new movement is happening in General Aviation. The LSA is now out and it is taking off with much enthusiasm.

"What is an LSA," you might ask?

Well, it is a light sport aircraft that anyone can fly. It requires no medical certificate like a regular pilot's license. A driver's license is all that is required. Well, yes you still need a pilot's license, but not in the sense of he word.

I am going to go out on a limb here. It is time that we all face the fact that this pond is not so big and it is not an endless resource that will allow us to just take and take. The trout are fully into the spawning mode right now and we as sportsmen need to ask ourselves some hard questions:

Are these big spawning females more important to us in a freezer or frying pan, or are they more important swimming out there with their sweethearts getting romantic and...well ...you know?

My two great-nephews left Ohio on Good Friday with snow in the forecast and sub-freezing temps. They had no idea they were headed for sunny Florida and some great flats fishing aboard the "Reel Therapy." They were about to celebrate their 8th and 11th birthdays. When asked how many fish they had caught prior to today, one said "one" and the other replied "a few, not many."

Well, we were about to change that!

We had a bit of a long ride to "The Spot," but it was worth it. The first cast produced a trout for each of my Ohio anglers.

Don't count on the dogwood and redbud flowers just yet. Even though some of them are popping out, they won't last. Another freeze is scheduled for this week.

Every few years we manage to have one more March hard freeze in North Central Florida, just enough to kill off any blossoms that have formed on fruit trees and other flowering fauna. And, that's not to mention the vegetables that will be wilting unless they're covered. You planted your garden early this year, right? I did.